Chapter 8

Experience Communication 1st Edition Child

Full download at:
Solution Manual:
https://testbankpack.com/p/solution-manual-for-experience-communication-1st-edition-by-child-
pearson-nelson-isbn-007803700x-9780078037009/
Test bank:
https://testbankpack.com/p/test-bank-for-experience-communication-1st-edition-by-child-
pearson-nelson-isbn-007803700x-9780078037009/

Chapter 8: Organizational and Small-Group Communication

Chapter Objectives and Integrator Guide
After reading and thinking about this chapter, students should be able to:

Objective Resources

1. Define organizational culture In the Text:

and discuss proper methods
for assessing the culture of
an organization.
Key Terms: Organizational
culture, hierarchy, differentiation
and specialization, formalization,
formal communication, downward
communication, upward
communication, horizontal
communication, and informal
communication.
Page Reference: pages 131-137
Table 8.1: Questions for Investigating an Organization’s Culture
Table 8.2: Using Findings to Understand an Organization
Skill Builder: Use Metaphors to Understand Organizational
Structures (p. 134)
Figure 8.1: Example of an Organizational Chart
Challenge Yourself: What Can I Learn about Workplace
Communication, So that I Can Attract an Employer’s
Attention, Interview Well, and Keep a Good Job? (p. 136)
Study Question 1 (p. 157)
IM Resources:
Discussion Starter 1: Investigating Organizational Culture
Activity 8.1: Understanding Anticipatory Socialization
Activity 8.2: Reinventing Cybertech
Activity 8.3: An Organizational Big Mac

2. Explain how small groups In the Text:

and teams function within
organizations and the role
communication plays.
Key Terms: Small group
communication, interdependent,
assigned groups, emergent
groups, task-oriented groups,
relationally-oriented groups,
norms, roles, formal or positional
role, informal or behavioral role,
Page Reference: pages 137-147
Table 8.3: Types of Task, Maintenance, and Self-Centered
Functions
Table 8.4: Defensive and Supportive Behaviors and Statements
Communicating Globally: Working Cohesively in Diverse
Groups (p. 146)
Study Question 2 (p. 157)
IM Resources:
Discussion Starter 2: Norms, Roles, and Small-Group
Communication
Activity 8.4: The Old Lady and the Fly

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 1

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.

task functions, maintenance
functions, self-centered functions,
group climate, trust, cohesiveness,
groupthink, and criteria. .
3. Describe leadership as a
process of communication.
Key Terms: Leadership,
management, designated leader,
emergent leader, power, reward
power, punishment power, referent
power, expert power, legitimate
power, democratic leader, laissez-
faire leaders, and autocratic
leaders.
4. Name and explain strategies
for cultivating positive
relationships in
organizations.
Key Terms: Immediacy,
supportive communication,
interaction management, conflict,
avoidance, competition,
compromise, accommodation,
collaboration, verbal
aggressiveness, bullying, incivility,
social undermining, and sexual
harassment.
Additional Resources:
Child, Experience Communication, 1e
Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Chapter 8
Activity 8.5: Group Pervasiveness
Activity 8.6: Roles in Group Discussion
Activity 8.7: Group Problem Solving
In the Text:
Page Reference: pages 147-149
Figure 8.2: Leadership versus Management
Study Question 3 (p. 157)
IM Resources:
Discussion Starter 3: Management and Leadership
Activity 8.8: Leadership Characteristics
Activity 8.9: Leadership Styles
Activity 8.10: Leadership Awareness
Activity 8.11: Leading a Task
Activity 8.12: Influential Leaders
In the Text:
Page Reference: pages 149-156
Table 8.5: A Variety of Techniques for Managing Conflict
Table 8.6: Conflict Management and Communication Tips
Study Question 4 (p. 157)
IM Resources:
Discussion Starter 4: Effective Small Group Interaction
Activity 8.13: Group Observation
Activity 8.14: Sexual Harassment in the Courts
Activity 8.15: Preventing Sexual Harassment
Chapter 8 test bank questions and PowerPoint slides available
from McGraw Hill website: (Link Coming Soon)
Chapter 8 Prezi (Link Coming Soon)
IM -8 | 2
Education.
 Chapter 8

Chapter Outline

I. What is Organizational Culture?

Organizational culture refers to the attitudes, values, and beliefs that are
common among and that characterize the interactions of organizational members
and the way they work and behave.
A. Investigating organizational culture
i. Organizations communicate their culture in three ways:
1. The ways that employees use language and the stories they
tell
2. The rituals and routines they adhere to, and
3. The symbols and artifacts on display in the environment.
ii. All three areas are critical to understanding organizational culture.
iii. Employees will not always directly communicate aspects of their
culture.
iv. Be cautious in putting too much interpretation into any single
marker of organizational culture – you should be looking for themes
supported across multiple indicators of organizational culture.
v. As you evaluate organizational culture keep in mind that who you
are and where you come from will impact the conclusions you draw.
B. Understanding organizational structure
i. Hierarchy comprises the levels of responsibility and relationships
within an organization.
1. Hierarchical organizations lay out clear procedures for whom
employees report to up the change of command.
2. The military is an example of a strongly hierarchical
organization.
ii. Differentiation and specialization refers to the division of labor in an
organization and the degree to which each individual has unique
role and responsibility.
1. Many fast-food and service industry jobs incorporate a high
degree of differentiation and specialization of tasks.
2. The emergency room of a hospital is an example of an
organizational team that has members with a high degree of
specialization and the ability to response to a range of
problems.
3. Strategic ambiguity refers to intentional uncertainty and
vagueness.
iii. Formalization refers to the rules, procedures, and norms that exist
for carrying out work practices.
C. Analyzing organizational communication practices
i. Formal communication consists of messages the follow prescribed
channels of communication throughout the organization.
1. Downward communication occurs whenever superiors
initiate messages to subordinates and includes things like

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 3

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

job instructions, job rationales, policies and procedures, and

performance feedback.
2. Upward communication occurs when messages flow from
subordinates to superiors and includes things like monthly
reports, scheduling issues, and feedback to supervisors.
3. Horizontal communication is interaction that flows between
people who are at the same level of the organizational
hierarchy.
ii. Informal communication is any interaction that emerges out of
social interactions among organization members rather than
following the rules of the formal chain of command.

II. Communicating in Small Groups and Teams

Small-group communication is the interaction among three to nine people who
are working together to achieve an interdependent goal.
Interdependent means that group members cannot achieve their goals without
the help of one another.
A. Types of small groups
i. Assigned groups are when individuals are appointment to be
members.
ii. Emergent groups occur when individuals decide to form a cohesive
group out of personal need or desire.
iii. Task-oriented groups are groups that are formed for the purpose of
completing tasks such as solving a problem or making a decision.
iv. Relationship-oriented groups are lifelong groups that exist to meet
individual needs.
B. Norms and roles in small groups
i. Norms are the beliefs about how individual members should
interact and behave in a particular context. Norms can be
developed implicitly or explicitly by either not talking about group
procedures or opening discussing expectations for group members.
ii. Roles reflect consistent patterns of interaction or behavior exhibited
over time.
1. Formal role (or positional role) is a role that is assigned
based on and individual’s position or title within a group.
2. Informal role (or behavioral role) is a role that develops
naturally or spontaneously within a group
iii. Functions in groups
1. Task functions are behaviors that directly relate to the
group’s purpose, and they affect the groups’ productivity.
2. Maintenance functions are behaviors that focus on the
interpersonal relationships among group members. They
are aimed at supporting cooperation and harmony.
3. Self-centered functions are behaviors that serve the needs
of the individual at the expense of the group.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 4

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

C. Group climate and cohesion

i. Group climate is the emotional tone or atmosphere members create
within the group. Group climate in dependent upon trust,
suportiveness, and cohesion.
1. Trust refers to ta belief that members can rely on each other.
a. Task trust develops when members have confidence
that others will get their jobs done in support of the
group.
b. Interpersonal trust emerges when members perceive
that others are working in support of the group rather
than trying to achieve personal gain.
2. Supportiveness refers to an atmosphere of openness in
which members care about each other.
3. Cohesiveness is the attachment members feel toward each
other and the group.
a. Groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when the
desire for cohesion and agreement takes precedence
over critical analysis and discussion.
b. Some observable signs of groupthink include an
illusion of invulnerability; unquestioned belief in the
mortality of the group; censorship of alternative
viewpoints; and a shared illusion that all members
think the same thing.
D. Decision-making and problem solving
Effective problem solving for groups involved five critical steps:
i. Discussing criteria for an acceptable solution:
1. Criteria are the standards by which a group must judge
potential solutions to a problem.
2. Absolute criteria are those that must be met without any
leeway.
3. Important criteria are those that should be met but the group
have some flexibility about them.
ii. Brainstorming and identifying alternatives: When brainstorming,
group members should identify multiple succinct ideas and defer
judgments until all of the ideas have been identified.
iii. Evaluating each alternative: in this stage members of the group try
to meaningful combine ideas into categories. Solutions failing to
meet absolute or important criteria are eliminated.
iv. Implementing the plan: in this stage the group tests outs ideas and
fully implements them.
v. Evaluating the outcomes based on the original criteria: at the end of
a project a group should reconvene to evaluate how the outcomes
compared with expected outcomes and goals.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 5

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

III. Organizational Leadership

A. Communication skills for leaders
i. Leadership
1. The process of using communication to influence the
behaviors and attitudes of others.
2. Leaders challenge the status quo and establish a strong
vision for the future. Leaders motivate and inspire people
toward change.
ii. Management
1. The process of using communication to maintain structure,
order, harmony, and the efficacy of procedures and
practices.
2. Managers maintain the status quo and monitor the
organization in order to remove obstacles that prevent the
execution of established organizational priorities.
B. Types of power and leadership
i. Designated leader is someone who has been appointed or elected
to a leadership position.
ii. Emergent leader is someone who exerts influence toward the
achievement of a group’s goal but who does not hold the formal
position or role or a leader.
iii. Power is the ability to influence others.
1. Reward power is based on the ability to give followers what
they want and need.
2. Punishment power
a. Is based on the ability to withhold from followers what
they want and need.
b. An extreme form of punishment is coercion which is
forced compliance through hostile acts.
3. Expert power is based on knowledge or expertise.
4. Legitimate power is given to a person because of a title,
position, or role.
iv. Leadership types
1. Democratic leaders encourage members to participate in
group decisions, even major one.
2. Laissez-Faire leaders take almost no initiative in structuring
group discussions or actions.
3. Autocratic leaders maintain strict control over their group,
including making assignments and giving orders.

IV. Cultivating Positive Relationships in Small Groups

A. Effective small group interactions
i. Related your statements to preceding remarks
ii. Communicate your ideas with clear and simple language
iii. Get to the point quickly
iv. State one point at a time

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 6

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

B. Achieving communication competence

i. Immediacy is when people engage in communication behaviors
intended to create perceptions of psychological closeness to
others.
ii. Supportive communication is when people listen with empathy,
acknowledge the feelings of others, and engage in dialogue to help
others maintain a sense of personal control.
1. Listen without judging
2. Validate feelings
3. Provide both informational and relational messages
4. Be confidential
iii. Interaction management is an approach to communication that
allows a clear flow between topics and idea and in which people
are aware of the communication styles and preferences of those
around them and adapt appropriately.
C. Managing conflict
i. Conflict occurs anytime two or more people have goals they
perceive to be incompatible.
ii. Approaches and techniques for managing conflict:
1. Avoidance is denying the existence of conflict or working
around it.
2. Competition involves viewing conflict as a battle and an
opportunity to advance your own interests over those of
others.
3. Compromise includes a willingness to negotiate away some
of your positions as long as the other party is willing to do
the same.
4. Accommodation is setting aside your views and accepting
those of others to maintain harmony in relationships.
5. Collaboration is relying on thoughtful negotiation and
reasoned compromise whereby both parties agree that the
negotiated outcome is the best possible alternative under the
circumstances.
D. Preparing for ethical dilemmas
i. Verbal aggressiveness in communication that attacks the self-
concept f other people in order to inflict psychological pain.
ii. Bullying is one or more individuals ridicule, make offensive
statements to or about, tease, socially isolate, or otherwise abuse
one or more other individuals over an extended period of time.
iii. Incivility is when a person demonstrates frequent rude behavior that
may or may not have intent of being harmful.
iv. Social undermining is any action meant to socially isolate another
person from a larger group.
v. Sexual harassment is a form of workplace aggression defined by
an unwelcomed, unsolicited, and repeated behavior of a sexual
nature.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 7

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

Discussion Starters
1. Investigating Organizational Culture: Consider the place where you currently
work. Think about how people use language what kinds of stories are told, the
established rituals and routines that are followed, and prominent cultural markers
within the organization. What do you think these things reveal about the
organizational culture and possible communication within the organization? Discuss
an example from your work environment of something that falls under each of these
three categories of ways to investigate organizational culture.

2. Norms, Roles, and Small-Group Communication: Think about a group that you
have been a part of where you really feel like the team worked well together. Recall
another time when you felt like a group that you worked with did not function well
together at all. How did the two experiences differ in terms of the norms guiding
interaction within the groups? How did the groups function differently in terms of the
diverse roles that people fulfilled within the group? What types of task,
maintenance, and self-centered functions do you recall observing within the two
different group experiences? How could you have interacted differently in your
negative recollection to change the possible group culture based off of the
information covered in the chapter about small group communication?

3. Management and Leadership: Leaders and managers use communication in very

different ways. Consider someone who you would consider as an effective
manager. How did they interact in their role that enabled the group or organization
to function more efficiently and effectively? Consider someone who you would
consider as an effective leader. In what ways did their communication differ from
that of the manager? How did the leader interact in ways that got more people on
board with their vision? Do you think you could communicate more effectively as a
leader or a manager and why?

4. Effective Small Group Interaction: Have you ever been a part of a group where a
member seems to advance ideas that did not clearly relate to what others in the
group were talking about? Have you ever felt like your contributions were not valued
by the group? How might group member help everyone feel valued and clearly
understand group goals? What communication qualities of group members do you
appreciate the most? What characteristics or qualities of others are most difficult for
you to work with in a group? How might you address the qualities that impede
effective group communication?

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 8

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

Activities

ACTIVITY 8.1 UNDERSTANDING ANTICIPATORY SOCIALIZATION

Purpose: Students should be able to identify various institutions that influence our
anticipatory socialization experiences.

Procedure: Have students identify jobs they currently have, or jobs they have had in
the past: full-time, part-time, long-term, short-term, for large corporations, for small
firms, even volunteer work. Ask them: What did they already know that enabled them to
do the job? What did they need to learn to enable them to do the job better? What did
they need to learn about the employer organization to enable them to do the job
appropriately? What did they need to learn about their co-workers to enable them to
work effectively with their peers?

Have students identify how they learned the skills, information, and other data identified
in the exercise. Who taught them? Did they learn by reading instructions? By observing
“official” or formal demonstrations? Popular culture? Which methods were the easiest
for them? Did the best method vary according to what they were trying to learn? Did
some socializing agents distort images of work roles?

Debriefing: This activity introduces students to the various socializing agents that
influence the development of role identities.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 9

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.2 REINVENTING CYBERTECH

Purpose: Students should be able to critically analyze various methods of organizing.

Procedure: Ask students to consider themselves members of Cybertech Inc. Sarah is

the newly appointed president of the company. Sarah wants to make all employees
more conscious of the importance of Cybertech’s customers. She asks, “How can I
change the organization chart to symbolize the importance of the customer?” Each
member of Cybertech is given the task of creating a new organizational chart. Have
students individually recreate the organizational chart displayed in the chapter to
address this concern. Next, have students get into groups of three or four and share
ideas. Each group can create a new chart or adapt one of the charts presented. Each
group should share their new organizational chart with the class.

Discuss the range of charts presented. How are the various internal and external
stakeholders positioned by the various charts? How do the charts highlight and neglect
various aspects of organizational relationships? What do the charts suggest about
communication among various organizational stakeholders?

Debriefing: This activity emphasizes the importance of organizational structure and

highlights both internal and external dimensions of organizational communication.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 10

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.3 AN ORGANIZATIONAL BIG MAC

Purpose: Students should be able to understand how concepts discussed in the

chapter play a role in typical organizations like a fast-food restaurant.

Procedure: Have students go to McDonald’s or another fast food restaurant and

conduct a mini-ethnography of the environment, paying particular attention to the
interactions among co-workers, superiors and subordinates, and employees and
customers. In class, have students in groups of three to four identify key characteristics
of the relationships observed.

During the debriefing, ask students to talk about their characterization of a McDonald’s
environment. Have students reflect on whether or not a McDonald’s retail outlet
resembles a machine. Ask students to discuss reasons why the firm has been so
successful. Are there similarities between McDonald’s and other successful franchising
systems. If so, what are they? What customer service strategies (as discussed in the
chapter) are used by employees? Which ones are most successful?

Debriefing: In addition to illustrating key concepts from the chapter (e.g., upward and
downward communication, customer service interactions), this exercise can lead to
class discussion about cultural forces (e.g., consumer movement) that may help explain
the success of such organizations and how those forces are present in other aspects of
our lives (e.g., the consumer movement in higher education).

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 11

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.4 THE OLD LADY AND THE FLY

Purpose: Students should be able to analyze the interdependencies of our

organizational and personal lives.

Procedure: Ask a class read the following poem. In groups of three or four, have
students discuss the “moral” of the story. Ask students to relate course concepts (e.g.,
division of labor and rules and regulations) to the moral of the story.

THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly

I don’t know why she swallowed the fly
Perhaps she’ll die

There was an old lady who swallowed a spider

who wiggled and jiggled
and tickled insider her

There was an old lady who swallowed a bird

Now how absurd to swallow a bird
She swallowed the bird to swallow the spider who wiggled and jiggled and
tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to swallow the fly
I don’t know why she swallowed the fly
Perhaps she’ll die!

As part of class discussion, encourage students to reflect on the interdependence of

system. Ask students to reflect on their own organizational experiences, including
classroom experiences that parallel the ironies present in the poem.

Debriefing: This exercise is particularly valuable at illustrating how today’s workplace

solutions can shape tomorrow’s problems. For example, the benefit of working at home
may actually encourage more time spent on work than with family.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 12

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.5 GROUP PERVASIVENESS

Purpose: Students should be able to individually realize the pervasiveness of small-

group communication in American culture.

Procedure: Students should be divided into small groups of five to seven members and
should determine how small-group communication has functioned in their lives.
Students should be encouraged to underscore the importance of small-group
communication by identifying the different types of small groups in which they currently
participate or have participated.

Student interaction should center on the amount of time that we spend in small-group
communication and the different ways small groups serve our individual purposes. For
instance, in what type of groups do college students usually participate? Are there
differences between men and women in the types of small groups to which they
belong? Student comments should address issues such as these.

Debriefing: This activity serves the essential purpose of making students acutely aware
of small-group communication in their personal lives. Moreover, students will better
understand the value of contributing ideas and manifesting leadership skills in their
small groups outside of the classroom.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 13

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.6 ROLES IN GROUP DISCUSSION

Purpose: Students should be able to identify the roles that people play in group
discussion; to specify methods for capitalizing on constructive roles and for minimizing
the interference of destructive roles; and to indicate how communication skills can
facilitate the roles played in group discussion.

Procedure: Divide the students into groups of five. If there are students left over, have
them act as observers. Each group member should receive one of the following role
descriptions:

The Roles:

Authoritarian leader: You are the leader of this group. You should control the decisions
made by the group. You may ask for others’ opinions, but the final decision is yours.
Silent member: You do not want to participate in this group because you feel you have
nothing important to contribute. If others ask for your opinion, you usually say, “I
don’t know” or switch the focus to some other group member. You are attentive but
silent.
Clown: You do not take the problem seriously. You want to make people laugh. Your
remarks are frequent, but they are not relevant. You like to poke fun at others in the
group and express “off the wall” ideas.
Dominant member: You like to hear yourself talk. You think that your ideas are good
and that everyone should listen to you. You tend to interrupt others to state your own
opinions.
Negative member: You are argumentative. You like to argue for the sake of argument.
You seldom have suggestions or solutions of your own, but that doesn’t prevent you
from criticizing others. You like to tear apart others’ ideas, even if you have to make
up fallacious arguments or use misleading information.

Each group member should also receive “The Bob Lee Case Study,” which follows.

THE BOB LEE CASE STUDY

Bob Lee was taking a difficult required course during his junior year at Strivemore
University. Bob needed a B average to keep his scholarship, and he needed his
scholarship to attend the university. But no matter how hard he studied, he could
get only C and D grades on the weekly tests that determined his grade in the
course. The professor curved the grades of the thirty students in the class, and
Bob just couldn’t seem to come out on top of the curve.

Before the fourth test, Bob complained to a fraternity brother who was also in the
class. The fraternity brother gave him some inside information. He swore Bob to
secrecy and then told him that the professor didn’t correct or grade his own tests
but that a graduate assistant did it for him. The grader apparently had discovered

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 14

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

a new way to work his way through college. He was giving cram sessions before
each test, based on the key that the professor had given him. He was tutoring
nine of Bob’s classmates for five dollars a test, or ten dollars if the student
wanted the answers to memorize. The fraternity brother invited Bob to join the
group.

Bob had a little money saved from his summer job, but be wasn’t sure he wanted
to invest it in an A. Wasn’t the whole thing unethical? Shouldn’t the professor be
told? But then again, what if the fraternity brother or someone else was expelled?
What about the other students at the bottom of the curve? All these questions
and more went through Bob’s mind. He had to decide soon, or it would be too
late to save his grade. If you were Bob, what would you do? Try to achieve a
consensus in your group.

After each group has reached a decision, have the students discuss their observations
and reactions to each of the roles they enacted or watched. The students should focus
their discussion on a description of each person’s behavior, trying to ascertain the role
assigned. They should also describe their reactions to each of the roles and report the
effect of the roles on group communication. Especially important is a recognition of the
barriers to effective group process that each role entails. The class should discuss ways
of reducing the interference of each role and creating a more productive communication
climate. For example, how would the students involve a silent member in the group
discussion? How effective is an authoritarian leader in a discussion of values? What can
a group do with a deviant member, such as a clown? The class should realize,
throughout the discussion, that these roles are not arbitrary. They exist, to some extent,
in virtually every group discussion.

Each group should discuss the problem, with the members behaving in accordance with
their assigned roles. The students should not reveal their roles to any other group
member.

Debriefing: This activity illustrates how different types and needs affect a group
discussion. The concepts of empathic listening and defensiveness are important if
students are to learn how to recognize and cope with the deviant group member. In
addition to learning about communication in a group context, the activity allows the
students to discuss values. The class may be interested in exploring the question of
ethics in communication that is stimulated by the content of the discussion.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 15

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.7 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING

Purpose: Students should be able to discuss the advantages of group versus individual
problem solving; to tell why groups are able to solve problems more efficiently than
individuals; to identify the functions of individuals within a problem solving group; and to
specify the procedures for solving problems in groups.

Procedure: Divide the students into groups of five. Give a different information sheet
(A, B, C, D, or E) to each student in the group. If there are extra students, have them act
as observers. Do not give the observers information sheets. Each student in the group
should have access to only part of the information needed to solve the problem—that is,
the three different statements that appear on his or her information sheet. Tell the
students that they have enough information among them to define the problem and to
arrive at a solution. They may use any procedures they wish, and they may read their
information sheets aloud as often as they wish, but they may not show them to anyone
else. The students should then proceed to solve the logic problem.

INFORMATION SHEET A
1. On one recent day, the following tidbits of information concerning five executives,
Kristina, George, Harvey, Irene, and John—in no particular order and not
respectively—were heard around the water cooler at the Widget Corporation.
2. From the tidbits overheard at the cooler (you may assume that they are all factual),
can you give each executive’s full name and position?
3. George and the president play golf together.

INFORMATION SHEET B
1. Appleby, Barton, Chambers, Dow, and Eggars are all executives of the Widget
Corporation, being (in no particular order and not respectively) president, vice
president, office manager, personnel director, and sales manager.
2. Three of the executives are often in bad moods. Dow tends to be a terror on
Monday. The office manager’s bad day is Friday. The sales manager’s moods are
completely unpredictable.
3. There is a long-standing feud between Barton and the sales manager.

INFORMATION SHEET C
1. Kristina and the personnel director attended the same college.
2. John, Chambers, and the sales manager get together for lunch every Thursday.
3. Three of the executives are often in bad moods. Dow tends to be a terror on
Monday. The office manager’s bad day is Friday. The sales manager’s moods are
completely unpredictable.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 16

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

INFORMATION SHEET D
1. The president recently approved a raise for John, which was deeply resented by
both Harvey and the personnel director.
2. Kristina is the only single person among the five, and she has been dating Appleby’s
brother.
3. Eggars told Harvey that his wife is expecting a baby and that he needs a raise soon
or he will resign.

INFORMATION SHEET E
1. Chambers is given to pulling rank on both Kristina and Barton.
2. George and the president play golf together.
3. John, Chambers, and the sales manager get together for lunch every Thursday.

Answer to Logic Problem

President—Irene Chambers
Vice president—Kristina Dow
Office manager—John Barton
Personnel Director—George Eggars
Sales manager—Harvey Appleby

After everyone has solved the problem (or has had ample time to reach some
conclusion), the class should discuss the principles of group problem solving. The
students should recognize the basic problem solving procedure:

(1) What is the nature of the problem facing us? (2) What might be done to solve the
problem? (3) What are the probable benefits and possible negative consequences of
each proposed solution? (4) What is the best possible solution we can all support? (5)
What will we do to put our solution into effect? The students should come to realize that
all members of the group are essential to the effective discussion and completion of a
task and that a conscious effort must be made to ensure that everyone contributes
information and expertise to the group process.

Debriefing: This activity illustrates the importance of effective communication in small-

group discussion and the necessity for using several channels of communication.
Further, this activity addresses topics like the importance of leadership, how discussions
should be organized, and how information presented during discussions should be
evaluated.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 17

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.8 LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS

Purpose: Students should be able to identify characteristics associated with leadership;

to describe situations in which these characteristics would not be beneficial to a
potential leader; and to explain why the trait approach to leadership may be less useful
than other approaches.

Procedure: Ask the students to individually list as many characteristics of leadership as

they can. You may help them get started by suggesting some examples, such as
warmth, friendliness, assertiveness, an ability to communicate with large groups of
people, and so on. After each student has listed about ten characteristics, have the
students write one sentence for each characteristic explaining how that characteristic
would be useful to an individual in a leadership role. When the students have finished,
have them exchange papers. The students with whom they have exchanged their
papers should write one sentence for each characteristic explaining how that
characteristic would not be an advantage under certain circumstances of leadership.
For instance, one student might write down that being logical is a characteristic
associated with leadership. The student might state that logical thinking is important in
solving problems and in dealing fairly with people. A fellow classmate might explain that
being logical is not desirable if you are dealing with an emotional situation or with highly
emotional individuals.

Lead a discussion that focuses on the relative usefulness of identifying leadership

characteristics. The students should recognize that virtually all individual character traits
can be both useful and detrimental to leadership. Discuss the implications of the relative
nature of leadership traits. What should the individual who wishes to be a leader learn
from this activity? How can individuals improve their ability to serve as leaders?

Debriefing: This activity helps the students to understand that leadership

characteristics are relative, and no traits guarantee a leadership role. You may want to
relate this activity to perception, and self-awareness, listening, and nonverbal and
verbal codes. You can also suggest implications for speaker credibility.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 18

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.9 LEADERSHIP STYLES

Purpose: Students should be able to identify different leadership styles; to differentiate

among these styles; and to illustrate behaviors associated with these styles.

Procedure: Instruct the students to divide a sheet of paper into three columns and then
to further divide the paper into three rows so that they have nine squares. Tell them to
write “Laissez-faire response” at the top of the third column. Explain that you will read
about three small-group situations in which they might find themselves and that, after
you have read each situation, you will provide them with time to write down a typical
laissez-faire, democratic, and autocratic response to that particular situation. (When the
students are finished, they should have three laissez-faire responses, three democratic
responses, and three autocratic responses—one of each for each situation.)

Some examples of situations that you might read to the students follow, but you can
create other situations that are more relevant for your class or that are derived from
actual small-group interactions in your classroom.

SITUATION 1
You have been meeting with a student-faculty committee that is charged with finding a
musical group for the annual homecoming celebration. The group has expressed a
variety of different suggestions, and little agreement has been apparent. You are now
within one week of the term’s conclusion, and a decision must be made before the term
is over. You have been meeting for nearly two hours, and everyone is expressing
frustration and anger. You are the leader of the group. Write down a laissez-faire
response, a democratic response, and an autocratic response.

SITUATION 2
You are in a study group. One group member is a real clown and keeps the group
entertained. However, he or she also tends to distract the group from its purpose, and at
least two of the other group members are beginning to be offended by this person’s
behavior. Write down a laissez-faire response, a democratic response, and an
autocratic response.

SITUATION 3
You are in a self-help group. One group member dominates the discussion each time
you meet. This person seems to feel that his or her problems are more important than
anyone else’s. Every time another group member discusses his or her problems, the
dominator offers a minimal transition, such as, “I know how you feel—that happened to
me, too,” and then begins to talk about him/herself. You are the leader of the group.
Write down a laissez-faire response, a democratic response, and an autocratic
response.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 19

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

Lead a discussion about the implications of this activity. Ask the students if they had
more difficulty writing down one of the three responses each time. If so, why? They may
realize that they have a tendency to handle problems in one leadership style and that
the other leadership styles are more difficult to illustrate because they are foreign to
them. For instance, if the students are autocratic, they may find it relatively easy to write
down a response that would help a group to “shape up.” At the same time, they might
have great difficulty in even describing how to allow the group to continue to flounder or
disagree, as a person enacting a laissez-faire role might do.

Ask the students if they believe that there is a “preferred” response in each case. Again,
students may perceive their own typical leadership style as “better” than a style that is
less familiar to them.

Lead the discussion to a recognition of the importance of flexibility in leadership style.

Students should recognize that they have a leadership style that is familiar to them but
that they should experiment with behaviors from other leadership types as well.

Debriefing: This activity helps the students to understand the behaviors that are
associated with three styles of leadership. You may want to relate this activity to
stereotyping and perception, self-awareness, and listening.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 20

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.10 LEADERSHIP AWARENESS

Purpose: Students should be able to identify characteristics associated with leadership;

to describe their own leadership characteristics; and to state behaviors that they might
incorporate into their repertoire that would make them more successful as a leader.

Procedure: The students should be seated in a large circle or around a table so that
everyone can see everyone else. Tell the students that they should each state some
personal characteristic that makes them a successful leader. If someone cannot think of
a characteristic for himself or herself, the other students may offer suggestions. After
each student has had an opportunity to state one characteristic that renders him or her
a successful leader, tell the students that they should consider how they could be even
more successful in leadership. The students should then individually state one behavior
that they will try to incorporate into their next small-group interaction.

Ask the students if they had more difficulty in disclosing a positive leadership
characteristic that they possessed or in stating some change that they were willing to try
to make. Why would some people have more difficulty with one than the other? What
can be generalized about the positive characteristics that students named? Were the
characteristics primarily people-related, or were they related more to the
accomplishment of a specific task or goal? Did the women in the class suggest people-
oriented characteristics, such as warmth, empathy, and understanding of others, while
the men offered task-oriented qualities, like achievement-orientation, task-directness,
and single-mindedness? Was there any pattern to the characteristics that students
wanted to add to their self-definitions? For instance, did most of the students want to be
more understanding of others, or did many of them want to be more assertive and task-
oriented in the small-group setting? What conclusions can be drawn?

Debriefing: This activity helps the students to understand their personal leadership
behaviors and then differentiate between successful and unsuccessful leadership. The
importance of leadership flexibility is also highlighted. You may want to relate this
activity to self-awareness and listening.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 21

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.11 LEADING A TASK

Purpose: Students should be able to assess the importance of leadership in a task

group; and to distinguish between appointed and emergent leaders.

Procedure: Divide the class into small groups of five to seven students and assign
them a task (for example, construct a logo or develop a set of group communication
norms). The instructor should appoint leaders in some groups but not in others. The
groups with leaders should also be told that one person should be the central figure
manifesting leadership behaviors and skills.

After the task is complete, groups should comment on the role that leaders played in
attaining the task. Groups who were not appointed a leader should discuss the
transpiration of events and what, if any, leadership skills characterized their
communication interactions. The discussion should conclude with a reiteration of the
value of effective leadership in task groups. It is interesting to note the differences in
goal attainment between groups with and without an appointed leader.

Debriefing: This activity underscores the importance of leadership in task-oriented

groups.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 22

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.12 INFLUENTIAL LEADERS

Purpose: Students should be able to list ways in which leaders influence the direction
and attainment of goals in small groups.

Procedure: Instruct the students to think about the following statement: “Whenever an
individual influences another person, he or she is exhibiting leadership behavior.” Divide
the class into small groups of the same sex. Instruct the groups to determine specific
examples that support the statement. Examples might be drawn from various
experiences, including political, professional, and personal episodes of students.

This activity is an interesting one to ascertain the possible sex differences in deciding
the applicability of the statement. Class discussion should illustrate the specific
episodes that underscore the perspective on leadership. The class should determine
the extent to which men and women differ on their examples of influential behavior. Did
each group determine influence in the same manner? Was there a difference between
the interpretations of men and those of women? How pervasive is leadership in the
college setting?

Debriefing: This activity aids in deciding the frequency with which leadership occurs.
Students will likely gain a deeper appreciation for those who are in leadership positions
on a daily basis. In addition, sex differences and similarities will prove intriguing to note.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 23

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.13 GROUP OBSERVATION

Purpose: Students should be able to assess the importance of nonverbal

communication in a small-group setting.

Procedure: Divide the class into small groups of five to seven students. Instruct
students to observe a group discussion that will take place on or near campus (for
example, a student government meeting, residence-hall staff meeting, or church council
meeting). Each group should be instructed to keep a journal that characterizes the use
of nonverbal cues in the discussion. Once all groups have had an opportunity to analyze
nonverbal signals in the discussion, reconvene to discuss findings.

Most of the student discussion should focus on such areas as proxemics and eye
contact that facilitated (or debilitated) groups members’ interaction patterns. The
interaction should underscore the importance of integrating a vast repertoire of
nonverbal signals to enhance the verbal component in a small-group discussion.

Debriefing: Students will realize the implications of utilizing nonverbal communication

to embellish discussion competency in small groups.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 24

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.14 SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE COURTS

Purpose: Students should be able to conduct library research to identify a current court
case related to sexual harassment in the workplace. Students should be able to think
critically about sexual harassment as a communication issue.

Procedure: Before class, assign groups of three or four students the responsibility of
finding an article highlighting a sexual harassment case that has been settled either
through litigation or mediation/arbitration. Students must become experts on the nature
of the case. During class, each group presents the particularities of their case,
withholding only the outcome of the case.

Have students serve as jury members who must decide the outcomes of each case.
The student “experts” on the case should lead class discussion among jury members.
After student juries make decisions, each “expert” group can share the official outcome
of each case. Encourage students to talk about the “criteria” they used in making
decisions. Encourage the class to reflect on the discursive dimensions of sexual
harassment, including enactment, interpretation, and consequences of harassing
behavior. How might these cases have been prevented?

Debriefing: This activity requires students to apply course material on quid pro quo and
hostile work environment forms of sexual harassment.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 25

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
 Chapter 8

ACTIVITY 8.15 PREVENTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Purpose: Each student should complete the “Preventing Sexual Harassment” online
training course sponsored by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and New Media
Learning.

Procedure: Before class, require each student to complete the complimentary online
training entitled “Preventing Sexual Harassment” sponsored by the New Jersey
Chamber of Commerce and New Media Learning. This training takes approximately 30
minutes to complete. Upon completion, students can print off a certificate verifying they
have completed the training. The online location for the training is www.njchamber.com.
Ask students to bring their completion certificates to class. Students should also be
prepared to talk about the hypothetical scenarios presented in the training as well as
suggestions for how to handle such occurrences in the workplace.

Using the hypothetical scenarios provided by the training program, talk about various
language and nonverbal cues often associated with both quid pro quo and hostile work
environment sexual harassment. Ask students to come up with individual and
organizational strategies for addressing the scenarios.

Debriefing: This activity requires students to apply course material on quid pro quo and
hostile work environment forms of sexual harassment.

Child, Experience Communication, 1e IM -8 | 26

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.